Fresh Investment: Tottenham get £6bn takeover boost as Daniel Levy contacts buyers
The most recent developments in the world of football finance bode well for Daniel Levy and his hopes of obtaining new funding for Tottenham.
The chairman and co-owner of Spurs announced earlier this year that he had reached out to prospective buyers regarding an equity sale in a message that accompanied the club’s annual accounts.
Whether this would be a full or partial takeover is still unknown, though four different groups have been linked in both categories.
Football club valuation is subjective, but most analyses place the value of a would-be takeover at around £2.6bn.
That is thanks in large part to their stellar commercial operation and gargantuan matchday income, which were worth a combined total of £336m last season alone.
However, some factors that affect their value are, to some extent, outside of their sole control.
And Spurs will therefore likely welcome news that one of those factors is having a positive effect on the price that Levy and his ENIC colleagues could theoretically command.
Premier League dominates European peers in revenue
In a wide-ranging investigation into how the Premier League compares to the other so-called ‘Big Five’ leagues in Europe, football finance expert Swiss Ramble revealed that the Premier League’s overall revenue stood at over £6bn last season.
That is nearly £2.5bn more than the Bundesliga, which was the second highest grossing league in Europe.
The disparity is due mainly to the Premier League’s blockbuster TV deal, which is worth nearly £3bn per season.
That is one factor that any prospective buyer for Spurs would find very attractive, especially relative to their counterparts on the continent.
Spurs’ broadcast income alone for the season was £204m, for context.
Who could take over Spurs?
Of the four groups linked with a Spurs takeover, three are from US buyers.
The sports group Liberty Media, who own Formula One and are the most valuable sports network in the world, have been mooted as potential investors.
So too have New York-based MSP Sports Capital. Their interest had waned when they were attempting to buy Everton but could be reignited now they have failed with that acquisition.
In a slightly more left-field development, the billionaire rapper and businessman Jay-Z has also, according to US media, expressed interest in the club.
And although this has been disputed in some quarters, Nasser Al-Khelaifi, the Paris Saint-Germain president and known ally of Levy, has also been suggested as a potential new owner.